Woods’ former caddie, Steve Williams, in 2011, said “it was his aim to shove it up that black arse----” while talking about his new boss Adam Scott’s victory in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.

Now, Garcia, a petulent performer and one of golf’s great underachievers — what with a picture perfect swing, no major titles and just eight PGA Tour wins — says he misfired on an attempt at humor.

Garcia apologized immediately after realizing his off-the-cuff remark could mean millions in endorsements. That’s it. Garcia said what he wanted to say. His buddies had a good laugh followed by a bad version of sounding contrite.

European golfers downplayed Garcia’s remarks.

Rory McIlroy added “it shouldn’t have been said. It’s time to move on as Tiger said — we’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Graeme McDowell tweeted ‘private/humor filled environment but he shouldn’t have said it #slip.’

Lee Westwood acknowledged the Garcia/Woods fallout as “an awkward situation where they obviously just don’t get on.”

Westwood, another European with great game but almost nothing to show for his talents, added “It’s in the public and (the media) will stoke it up and you don’t need to.”

Garcia ratcheted up hurt after he and Woods had a falling out at the The Players Championship. Garcia felt that Woods’ second-round actions had caused a gallery to shout as he attempted to play a shot.

The Woods-Garcia pairing had attracted an overflow gallery.

Garcia portrayed himself as a victim with a relentless whimper that could have gained him a stand-in role as Salvatore “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero on the television series The Sopranos.

We keep trying to fool ourselves that golf, which once installed a “Caucasian only” clause to prevent integration, has bridged all of its issues to the point that racial bias is nonexistent.

Plus, Garcia and hordes of media types fail to understand that the Spaniard’s remarks are not hurtful only to Woods, but negatively affects other African Americans and anyone else who supports fair play.

McDowell seems to think that racism expressed in a closed environment is somehow not relevant, not worthy of criticism, when instead, such behavior should be exposed whether its Jesse Jackson making a prejudiced remark about Jews of New York or your best friend retelling an ethnic putdown.

What has occurred here is that Garcia never became the phenom that he and others expected. While he won eight PGA Tour events; Woods has won 78. While Garcia whimpered and never closed the deal in majors; Woods won 14.

And it’s not just Garcia. McDowell owns one major. Scott, thanks to a delay in outlawing his long-putting stroke, won last month’s Masters. Luke Donald has none. Westwood none. McIlroy two.

Put all these guys in a backroom somewhere, alone with their jealousy and you can be sure that it’s more than just talk about fried chicken.

They guffawed about Tiger Woods’ public infidelity even though a number of PGA Tour stars past and present have been down that road. Critics can’t get him on race. Woods has never brought it up except for his attempt of combining his family ethnic backgrounds into “Cablinasian”, caucasian, black, Indian and Asian.

Blacks and whites responded “Negro please.”

Oh, Tiger, trying to present yourself as a member of the human race when in reality you are a chicken-eating, watermelon-devouring black man.

Woods described Garcia’s remarks as “hurtful.”

Yes, racism stings, Prejudtice bites. Intolerance pains us.

We either face adversity or yield to debilitation.

The fight is no longer between Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods.

Garcia alone has entered the ring of public scrutiny.

Just as in the The Players Championship, Garcia is beating himself.

— L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist and golf writer. Reach him at laparker@trentonian.com.